


Football Photos

by fuckoffmarcel



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Football, Child Abandonment, Domestic, F/M, Family, Fluff, Football | Soccer, Happy, London, Single Parents, Twins, photographer, single mother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-06
Updated: 2013-10-06
Packaged: 2017-12-28 15:12:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/993393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fuckoffmarcel/pseuds/fuckoffmarcel





	Football Photos

“Girls! Come on!” I tugged on the twin’s hands, trying to keep hold as the crowded streets buffeted us all about. I couldn’t carry both of them with my camera bag on my back, I told myself. Normally, I would never bring them with me to a job, but neither of them had school today and I couldn’t skip the shoot.

“Mama!” Clara called as the rain started to fall, whimpering because she hated rain. She had yet to grow out of her silly fear, despite living in a city where it simply did nothing but rain. She started to cry rather loudly, and always one to follow her sister’s lead Eliza began to cry too.

“Oh shit,” I whispered. It had taken me all morning to get them presentable and I knew I was pushing the rules by bringing them along. “Girls, stand here,” I pointed towards the side of a brick building, which was kept dry by the over hang. 

I popped my collar up, balanced on the curb, flagging down a cab. It was going to cost me a leg and an arm to get from Trafalgar Square to Chelsea stadium in this weather. “Come on!” I ushered the girls into the taxi.

“Where too ma’am?”

“Stamford Bridge,”

“You ladies fans? Where you from?” the cabbie asked as he navigated us away from the crush of traffic.

“Never fans,” I laughed, “girls, who do we support?”

“We’re red devils!” Eliza piped up.

“Yeah, Manchester!” Clara added. The cabbie and I smiled.

“So, if you don’t mind me asking, where are you from ma’am? I think I hear a bit of a southern accent.”

“You do. I’m from the states. But my girls were born here, although we’ve traveled and lived in France and here on and off their whole lives.”

“Impressive. Girls, do you speak any other languages?”

“They speak French and English,” I explained.

“You’ve done quite the job raising your girls,”

“Thank you. It was hard at first raising them alone, but we’ve learned. Haven’t we girls?” they both nodded and Clara climbed in to my lap.

“We love mama, we don’t need papa,”

“Clara, don’t say that love.” The cabbie caught my eye and nodded, he understood without me having to explain. We all sat in silence for a while, Clara and Eliza playing quietly.

“So what are you doing at Stamford?”

“I’m a photographer, I’ve been hired to take the new photos for the team. You know, magazines, merchandize.”

“I thought I knew you from somewhere. You’re that famous photographer, right?”

“Yes sir,”

“You’ve made quite the name for yourself here, haven’t you? My wife loves your work, talks my ear off about you. She’s never mentioned that you were a single mom.”

“It’s not widely known.”

“Course not, it’s your life but your daughters are beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

“The little girl with blue eyes looks just like you, but the other looks like someone else that I can’t put my finger on,” I blushed at that, because it was true. Clara did look just like her father. “Oh I know! Its that new player-,”

“Oh look! We’re here! Thank you,” I shoved enough cash through the window, pulling the girls out behind me.

“Mama, that was mean! He was nice! He was just saying that Clara looks like Papa.”

“Yes, yes I know,” the rain had finally stopped and surprisingly, the sun was making an appearance. “Now girls,” I knelt down in front of them, “I need you to behave, okay? Please just sit quiet and color in your books. I’ll buy you a snack.”

They both nodded their little heads vigorously, Clara and Eliza’s blonde curls bouncing. “Thank you loves,” I placed quick kisses on both their foreheads.

I checked in and was quickly directed towards the field. My assistant’s had already been to the field and set up the right lights. All I had to bring was my camera, along with the different lenses. Pushing the girls towards chairs off the field, I hurried towards the P.R. head of Chelsea.

“Okay, let’s get started,”

“We thought we’d start with our newest players first. Niall? Niall!” My heart dropped. How was it possible that he’d switched to Chelsea without my knowledge. Looking just my Clara, Niall jogged towards me on the field.

“Oh,”

“Niall,” I acknowledged him.

“I hoped you’d be the photographer.”

“I didn’t even know you were at Chelsea, I thought you were still at Liverpool.”

“Nope, they sold me last month,”

“Mama!” Clara’s voice chimed across the field and I cringed. No. I’d completely forgotten. Not now, not today. Soon enough a chorus of mamas rang out across the field as the girls remained in their seats as directed. Niall looked first at the girls and then me.

“Stay,” I put a hand up towards him, but as I walked to the girls he followed.

“Papa? Papa!” Eliza squealed. “Papa! Papa! Papa!” the girls started to bounce up and down.

“Grace, how couldn’t you tell me?” he said softly, enthralled by the girls. I shrugged my shoulders

“You left. So why share the best thing that could ever happen to you?”

“Hi girls,” he knelt in front of them, one hand smoothing down Eliza’s curls. “I’m Niall. I’m your-“

“Papa!” both girls jumped on him. My heart sunk. The girls giggled as their father collected them into his arms.

“Hi lovelies. What are your names?”

“I’m Eliza!” she grinned at her dad.

“I’m Clara! People always say I look just like you!”

“You do sweet girl! You look just like me. What would my mother say? You look just like your grandma,” The team had peaked out and was looking at Niall and the girls. “Boys!” Niall hollered, “Come meet my girls!”

I watched quietly as the team played with the girls, clapping Niall on the back and commenting on how beautiful they are.

“Can I talk to you?”

“Sure,” I followed him over to the stairs that lead down into the locker room.

“How couldn’t you tell me?”

“Because you cheated! And then you left! I tried to tell you, I called and I called but you never called me back.” We fought quietly, Niall explaining what happened.

“I still don’t forgive you Niall,” I said, crossing my arms.

“I know! And that’s okay, just please let me see the girls.”

“Fine,” I gave him our address and as soon as the shoot was over I took the girls and left.


End file.
